Couch.



No. 748,184. PATENTED DEC. 29, 1903.

J. R. HARDTMANN. COUCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1;

Witnesses. 18 2 1 Inv suitor:

N0. 748,184. PATENTED DEC. 29, 1903.

J. R. HARDTMANN.

COUCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 tnasses I7Q7/6YI'EOT7 UNITED STATES Patented December 29, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS R. HARD'IMANN, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO OLIVE & MYERS MFG. 00., OF DALLAS, TEXAS, A CORPORATION OF TEXAS.

COUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 748,184, dated December 29, 1903.

Application filed May 16, 1903.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J ULIUs'R. HARDTMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, Texas, have invented certain new and usefullmprovemen ts in Couches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to couches, and more particularly to folding couches, which are frequently called sofas; and the object is to produce a mouse-proof couch which is provided with a detachable mattress.

Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description, and

the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view in perspective, the couch being unfolded and the back board, which is seen on the right side of the View, being out down even with the top of the mattress. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the spring-hooks for holding the mattress in place. Fig. 3 is a broken sectional View illustrating the manner of mounting the rods which hold the edges of the mattress straight. Fig. 4 is a plan view of some of the springs which support the upholstered seat of the couch, the webbing for strengthening the springs and distributing the pressure thereof, and a broken view of the frame to which the webbing is attached. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the couch lying open.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

The couch may be provided with any suitable frame. The couch is provided with the usual Woven-wire spring 1, which is attached to the frame-pieces 2 and 3 by means of suitable nails or staples; The couch consists of a stationary part A and a folding or seat portion B, which are hinged together by suitable hinges. The part A is provided with a back board 5, which may be extended above the couch to any desirable height. may be provided with suitable legs or supports 6. The part A and the part B are provided with side frame-pieces 7 and 8, respectively, which side pieces form a support for the central part of the wire spring 1 when This part A.

Serial No. 157,333. (No model.)

for the purpose of holding the edges of the mattress straight. The mattress-tick 11 is sewed together on each side of the rod 10 to form the pocket for the rod. The rod is preferably a steel rod. The mattress is attached to the frame by means of spring clam p-hooks 12, which may be attached to the frame by means of small nails or screws. The hooks 12 are made of spring steel and consist of ahook portion and an upward-extending clamp portion. The edge of the mattress which has the strengthening-rod 10 therein is pressed down in the books 12, and the clamp portions 13 will hold the edges of the mattress depressed in the hooks. In this manner the mattress is held securely in place and can be removed whenever it is desirable to do so. The edges of the mattress will be held straight and smooth. The folding portion B is provided with an upholstered seat portion 14, which is attached to the frame of the couch and further supported by the spiral springs 15. The springs 15 perform two functions. When the couch is unfolded to form a bed, these springs aid in supporting the mattress and make the bed elastic and firmer than the spring 1 would make it. These springs 15 are principally for supporting the upholstered seat 14, which function they perform only when the couch is folded. The springs 15 press against the tick or bottom covering 16 of the seat and against the wovenwire spring 1. These springs 15 are supported and made more serviceable by means of strips of webbing l7 and 18. The webbing strips 17 and 18 are attached to a frame 19, which is attached -to the spring and mattress-frame or main frame of the part B. The springs 15 are twisted about the webbing-strips 17 and 18 so that three-fourths of the springs will be on the side of the webbing next to the seat 14 and one-fourth against the springg which supports the mattress. The frame 19 for the webbing is attached to the frame-pieces 2, 8, and 21 of the main frame intermediate the top and bottom parts of said frame for the purpose of placing more of the springs next to the seat 14. By so placing the springs 15 they are made to perform two functions, as above stated. The webbing, with the frame for the webbing, aids in making the seat strongly elastic. I have improved the wovenwire springs 1 by attaching these springs directly to the frames of the couch. The framepieces 2 and 3 are rabbeted on the inner edges, and the springs 1 are secured to the frame-pieces in these rabbets. The hooks 12 are placed on top of the edge-wires of the springs 1. The springs l are thus secured firmly in place, and the entire couch is made lighter and compact and is as strong as if special frame-pieces were put in for the springs 1.

The above-described improvements are applicable to the various designs of couches, bed-lounges,and sofas. In some of the couches the back piece 5 is dispensed with and the supports for the frame are placed under the frame of the springs. Other changes may be made without departing from my invention. The clamp portions 13 of the hooks 12 may be cut away if the edge-rods 10 are held securely in the hooks 12 by other means, such as the edge of the frame opposite the hooks.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A folding couch comprising a stationary portion and a folding portion each provided with a suitable frame, suitable hinges for attaching said frames together, the outside frame-piece of each frame being rabbeted on its inner edge, woven-wire springs extending across both portions and secured to said frames in the rabbet of each frame, a detachable mattress mounted on said springs and carrying rods in the edges thereof, and hooks secured in said rabbets for engaging said rods whereby the edges of said mattress are held straight.

-2. A folding couch comprising a stationary portion and a folding portion hinged together, a mattress provided with pockets in each edge thereof, rods mounted in said pockets, and hooks secured to the inner edges of the outside frame-piece of each of said portions, the edges of said mattress carrying said rods pressed into said hooks.

3. A folding couch comprising a stationary portion and-a folding portion hinged together, a mattress provided with pockets in each edge thereof, rods mounted in said pockets, and spring-hooks secured to the inner edges of the outside frame-piece of each of said portions whereby the edges of said mattress carrying said rods may ,be'held in place.

In testimony whereof I set my hand, in the presence of two witnesses, this 25th day of February, 1903.

JULIUS R. HARDTMANN.

Witnesses:

J. F. THOMAS, W. S. MYERS. 

